Hot box signal



Nov. 22, 1955 R. J. SCHMIDLIN ET AL HOT BOX SIGNAL Filed May 5, 1954 HOT BOX SIGNAL.

RichardJ'. Schmidlin, Buffalo, N. Y., and Frederick A. Seames, Miami Gardens, Fla.; said Seames assignor to said Schmidlin Application May 5, 1954, Serial No. 427,834

6 Claims. (31. 116-114) This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in hot box detection devices or signals for use with the axle bearings of railroad rolling stock.

It has for its primary object to provide a signal of this i United States Patent@ character which is so designed and constructed as to be simple, inexpensive and readily installed with a minimum of effort, and which is positive and effective in operation and easily restored or recharged after a given operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hot box signal which is in the form of a visible or smoke signal of long duration and set off automatically at predetermined temperature conditions, and can be detected by the train crews and others of a dangerous temperature condition of the journal box.

Other features of the invention reside in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a journal box housing showing our signal device in operative relation thereon. Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse vertical section of the signal device. Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3-3, Figure 2.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to the drawings, 10 indicates the housing of a standard type of railroad axle journal boxto which our signal device is applied, it being only necessary to provide the top wall of this housing with. a tapped opening 11 into which the device is screwed and ready for operation.

In its preferred construction, the signal device consists ofa container 12 defining a chamber adapted to contain a supply of a smoke generating fiuid and having an externally-threaded,attaching neck 13 at its lower end for engagement with the journal-housing opening 11 and a closure cap 12a detachably mounted at its upper end. This cap has a filler-plug 14 therein, which is removed for recharging the container, and it also has a vent nozzle 15 projecting therefrom through which thesmoke signal is discharged into the atmosphere. In the form shown, this vent nozzle is T-shaped in elevation and its ends are preferably curved downwardly. .The fluid used may be of any, suitable composition for generating smoke upon exposure to the air, for example, titanium tetra chloride mixed with an oily liquid. Fitted in the lower end of the attaching neck 13 is a sealing disk 16 which is detachably retained in place by a snap spring or the like. A partition or bridge wall 17 between this neck and the bottom of the container results in the former constituting a mixing chamber 18 having an intake port 19 in valve-controlled com-.

munication with the fluid in the container and a discharge or vent tube 20 extending upwardly through the container and having a ground or swivel joint connection with the upright or intake portion of the T-shaped discharge nozzle 15.

The intake port 19 is controlled by a thermo-fracturable valve 21 having a stem 22 rising therefrom and made of glass-or like material which will burst orshatter under dangerous temperature conditions of the journal box to thereby open the port and cause the smoke-generating fluid to flow into the mixing chamber 1'8.- This valve is normally supported or retained in its'closed position by a clamping or adjusting screw 23 fitted in a bracket 24 secured to the interior of the container 12, in the manner shown in Fig ure 2, and having a swivelled abutment element 25 at its lower end for seating or clamping engagement with the upper end of the valve-stem. Upon setting the valve against the upwardly-flaring seat of the port 19 and tightening the screw 23, the valve is effectually retained or clamped in a fluid-sealing position until such time as the temperature condition of the journal box causes the valve to burst. When this happens ,the fluid in the container is released and is converted into a smoke cloud which escapes through the vent tube 20 and thence through the nozzle 15 into the atmosphere, giving an effective warning signal of a hot box. The smoke signal continues for a period of from thirty to forty-five minutes.

Recharging of the smoke-generating medium into the container is effected through the cap-opening of the filler plug 14.

We claim as our invention:

1. A hot box signaling means, comprising a container for a smoke-generating medium adapted for attachment to a journal box and including a vent passage in valved communication at one end with the smoke-generating medium and terminating at its other end exterior of the container in a smoke discharge nozzle, and a thermofracturable valve for normally closing said vent passage from communication with the smoke-generating medium in the container.

2. A hot box signaling means, comprising a container including a partition therein dividing the same into a chamber for receiving a smoke-generating medium and a mixing chamber in vented relation to the atmosphere, and a thermo-fracturable valve interposed in said partition for normally shutting off the flow of said medium to said mixing chamber.

3. A hot box signaling means, comprising a container for a smoke-generating medium adapted for attachment to a journal box and including a vent passage in valved communication at one end with the smoke-generating medium and terminating at its other end exterior of the container in a smoke discharge nozzle, a thermo-fracturable valve for normally shutting off communication of the smoke-generating medium to said vent passage, and means for detachably clamping said valve in its: closed position.

4. A hot box signaling means, comprising a container including an attaching neck for connecting it to a journal box and a partition therein to define a chamber for receiving a smoke-generating medium and a mixing chamber within said neck, a closure cap for the container having a vent nozzle for the discharge of the smoke signal, a vent tube extending through said container and communicating at its lower end with said mixing chamber and at its upper end with said vent nozzle, said partition having a port therein, and a thermo-fracturable valve for said port for normally shutting oif communication between the smoke chamber and the mixing chamber.

5. A hot box signaling means, comprising a container including an attaching neck for connecting it to a journal said valve in its closed position against said seat.

6. A hot'box signaling means, comprising a container 'for a smoke-generating medium adapted for attachment to a journal box and,including a vent passage in valved communication at one end-with the smoke-generating medium and terminating at its other end exterior of the container in a smoke discharge nozzle, a thermo-fracturable valve including a stem fornorrnally shutting off the flow of the smoke-generating medium to the vent passage,

and a clamping screw arranged within said container and engageable with said valve-stem for normally retaining the valve in its closed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES" PATENTS 

